Wireworking tool



Nov. 15, 1949 c. G. GOTTHOLM WIRE WORKING TOOL Filed April 22, 1948 INVENTOR CARL 6. G01 THOLM BY QMJWMW Patented Nov. 15, 1949 1*" UNITED STATES- PATNT OFFICE This invention relates to a wire workin tool adapted to be used in connection with a railroad bridge guard for the attachment and removal of the stifi steel wire pendants connected to the hanger loops on a spacing hanger such as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,392,529, issued January 8, 1946, or such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 31,724, .filed June 8, 1948. For the purpose of affording a complete understanding of my invention, it is desired to incorporate in the present disclosure, all of the disclosure in my prior patent above referred to.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a tool of the aforementioned type which is s of simplified construction compared with the tool disclosed in my prior patent, and which is adapted for use specifically with the new pendant disclosed herein, and disclosed and claimed in my above mentioned co-pending application.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tool of the aforementioned'type comprising a tubular member adapted to receive a handle, a wire loop holder including an elongate recess, means connecting said wire loop holder to the tubular member, and means including elongate means for securing the tubular member to the handle, said elongate means also providing a means for manipulating the loop at the end of the pendant to open and close the same; and the novel subcombinations thereof.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the present disclosure, wherein for purposes of illustration one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and wherein:

The single figure of the drawing is a fragmentary perspective view of a wire working tool constructed in accordance with the teaching of my invention, illustrating the manner in which a pendant is secured thereto to place the same in a hanger loop.

My wire Working tool is preferably constructed of metal, and in the embodiment illustrated comprises a tubular member I of any desired crosssectional configuration, having an end wall 2 at one end thereof. A flattened, tubular member or loop holder 3 is secured to the end wall 2 as by means of a Weld 4. The loop holder 3 provides an elongate recess 5 ovalescent in cross-section adapted to receive a Wire loop as will be later described.

One end of a long, wooden, or tubular metal handle 6 is received within the tubular member 7 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) I, and in the embodiment illustrated, the wall 2 functions to limit the inward movement of the handle and also provides a means connecting the loop holder 3 with the tubular member I.

A radially directed, internally threaded, hollow boss or nut i surrounds or is in registry with an opening in the tubular member I and is suitably secured thereto as by means of a weld 8. An elongate bolt 9 having a threaded end Ill is received in the boss I for securing the tubular member I to the handle 6. The bolt 9 projects outwardly from the tubular member I, preferably has a headed free end II, and is used to perform an additional function which will be described in detail presently.

The new pendants with which the tool is designed for use are formed of stiff steel wire as were the pendants disclosed in my prior patent, but include some structural changes. One of these pendants I2 is illustrated in th drawing and comprises a relatively long piece of wire which is bent at one end to form a loop I3 adapted to be received in the hanger loops 3 disclosed in my prior patent. The loop I3 has a hooked or curved free end portion I4 adapted to engage the pendant to maintain the loop closed. Preferably, the pendant is provided with an angularly directed portion I5 adjacent to and adapted to receive the curved end portion M of the loop. A second, preferably but not necessarily, closed and smaller loop I6 is formed in the pendant I2 adjacent to, or, as illustrated, in the portion of the pedant defining the loop I3.

The loop I6 is adapted to be received in the recess 5 of the loop holder 3, as illustrated, and preferably, the recess 5 is made slightly smaller than the normal width of the loop I6 so that the side portions I I thereof will be resiliently urged into frictional contact with the end walls I8 of the loop holder 3. This frictional contact releasably but adequately secures the pendant I 2 to the tool.

It frequently happens that a pendant of the bridge guard or warning device, such as illustrated in Fig. 1 of my prior patent, becomes damaged and must be replaced and it is for this purpose that the tool disclosed herein is particularly designed. A single, track workman standing on the ground below the bridge guard, with this tool, can quickly remove a defective or damaged pendant I2 and replace it with a new one in the following manner:

To remove a defective pendant, the handle 6 is elevated and the bolt 9 is inserted in the closed loop I3 thereof in a direction towards the plane of 3 the drawing. The tool is then given approximately a quarter turn counterclockwise, the loop I3 snaps open as shown in the drawing, and the pendant can readily be lifted out of the hanger loop by the bolt 9.

To place or replace a pendant, the loop [6 of the pendant is positioned in the recess 5 of the loop holder 3 as illustrated in the drawing, the loop l3 being open and the free end l4 thereof up or in position 'to be readily inserted intothe hanger loop. Then the tool with the pendant pro- J'ecting outwardly as shown is raised by the handle 6 to the proper height and the free end Id of the loop [3 is inserted into the hanger loop. {Preferably, the loop I3 is hooked through the hanger loop all the way, and the handle 6is then pu -lled downwardly to release the tool from the, pendant, leaving the pendant hanging with the'loop "[3 open. The bolt 9 is then inserted in theoperfiloop in a direction outwardly from the plane of the drawing, given approximately a quarter -,-turn -.counter-clockwise, and the end I 4 of-the :loop

snaps over the inclined portion l5coi the; pendant to close the loop 13 securely.

.In the foregoing-disclosure I have illustrated r and described onlythe-preferred embodiment :of

invention as-come within the scope of the-appended claims.

Iclaim: 1. A wire working 'tool comprising a" tubular member, an end wall on said tubular *mem-berpa 11 flattened tubular wire loop holderhavingan open -en'dconnectedto said end wall, an internally threaded hollow bosson said tubular'rnember' in registry with an opening in' said tubular member,

ahandle having an end thereof received-in "said tubular -member, and an elongate "headed ibolt projecting outwardly from said 'tubularmember and threadedly received insaid boss'for securing said-tubular member to said handle.

'2. A wire working tool comprising 'a tubular member, a wire loop'holder-includingn recess,

ovalescent in cross-section, .means connecting said wire loop holderto said tubular member,

a handle'having an end-thereof received insaid .tubular member, and means including ..elongate .means projecting outwardly from said .tubular member, for securing said tubular member to said handle.

3. In' a wire working tool, the combination comprising a tubular member, an end wall on said tubular member, a flattened tubular wire loop holder having an open end connected to said end wall, an internally threaded, hollow boss on said tubular member in registry with an opening in said tubular member and an elongate bolt .ithneadedly received in said boss and 1 projecting outwardly from said tubular member.

4. In a wire working tool, the combination com- "prising a tubular member, a wire loop holder lincluding a recess ovalescent in cross-section, meansconnecting said wire loop holder to said *tu-bulanmember, an internally threaded, hollow ssbesson .said :tubular member in registry with an opening in said tubular member, and a bolt aidapte d to be received in said boss and project outwardly from said tubular member.

:5..-:itn:a wire eworking ztool, .rthe z'combination comprising-a tubular :member; aiwire loopiholder including a :recess .ovalescent in crossesection, means :connecting;-=said:wirefloop holder :to said tubularxmember, and. a mellow boss ;on said :tubular memberin registry witheanopening in said tubular-member.

6. In a wire working tool, the combination comprising a tubular mem-bersa wireloop-holder including a recess ovalescent in #cross-"section,

means connecting said wire loop holder to -said --tubular member, and elongata'mea-ns --proj ecting outwardly from said tubular member.

"In a wire working tool, the -eombin-ation eoxmzrrising a tubular memberga loop holder including a recess ovalescent in cross section, means connecting-saidwire loop-holder tosaidtubular member; and a headed 'bolt projectingoutwardly from said tubular "member.

*C-ARL' G. GOTTHOLM.

REF-ERENGES GIT ED ..'.'Ihe following references. are .of record. in ..the

Lille ,of .this ,patent:

:UNITED STATESTFPATENTS iNumber Name J Date 318,891 "Loftie i Mar. 6,18% 28,012 .Armstrong. Aug..7,.190.6 1,223,791 Jackson--- .Apr..24,i1917 12,096,244 Heinrich --oct. .19., $1937 

